Day #139 - Wales - Southwestern coastline

A line from "Under Milk Weed"

A walking path by the Dylan Thomas Boathouse

A look from the house

Dylan Thomas Boathouse

Writing shed

Saturday, July 31st

I took a train out of Cardiff this morning and headed west. My target location was a small town of Laugharne. Even though it's only located 70 miles or so from Cardiff, the trip took about 2-1/2 hours. (many stops along the way) That was OK however - I got to see the southern coastline of Wales - impressive. I really do like train travel. You can stretch out, walk around, stand up, talk to people, check out the scenery, read, whatever. I guess it's good I like the trains - I wonder how many thousands of miles I will have travelled via train by the end of my trip?

In addition to seeing the coastline, the town of Laugharne is the location where writer/poet Dylan Thomas used to live. I took a bus into the main town center from the rail station. I then walked along this path leading up to the boathouse where he lived with his wife and children towards the end of his life. The house overlooks the Taf Estuary - an absolute amazing view over this water body. The house is up on this big bluff. You first come to this small garage - his writing studio. A look inside shows how things were left just as he had them - filled with papers, manuscripts and furnishings. One of his most famous works is "Under Milk Weed". It was translated into a film in 1971 starring Welsh-born Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Peter O'Toole. The movie was filmed in the nearby town of Fishguard. Thomas died in 1953 at the age of 39.

Even though I'm not a writer, just in the last 4 months, I can see how proper settings and a good frame of mind can make a difference when telling a story. You guys can probably see this as well. Sometimes, it's late at night and I'm tired. I write out the blog without much emotion. I can even tell when I go back and reread some postings that I should/could have been better. I've come to enjoy writing a little bit - it's a way to express my feelings when maybe I would not otherwise do so. I know when I look back at this blog creation in 10+ years - I'll still be able to feel what was going on with me on that particular day. Even though I'm hanging myself out there - as a pure remembrance of this trip - I'm glad I'm doing this.

Since I'm talking about writing and writers, let me say that I'm nearing the end of my Shakespeare book. Some unbelievable stuff. I can't believe how many things have come from his stories. The following expressions were created by Shakespeare: a foregone conclusion, a tower of strength, bated breath, come full circle, dead as a doornail, elbow room, for goodness sake, I have not slept a wink, into thin air, It was Greek to me, puppy dog, shooting star, too much of a good thing, wild goose chase, well-behaved. I bet every single person reading this has used one, if not many, of these expressions. Shakespeare also introduced more words into English than all other poets of his lifetime combined. Examples are: employer, drug, engagement, glow, investment, luggage, mountaineer, partner, retirement, traditional, roadway. Now, I don't know if all this is true or not, I'm going by the book here. But if this is the case, as Samuel Johnson put it: "His works may be considered a Map of Life"

Shakespeare has 39 plays. They are divided into 4 categories: History (Henry VI, Henry IV), Comedy (A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice), Tragedies (Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth), and Romances (The Tempest, The Two Noble Kinsmen). I listed only a few in each category, but the Tragedy plays are known to be his masterpieces. Before reading this book, I knew almost nothing about these plays. Now, it seems like I see a reference about them almost everywhere I go. I could see myself going to a few of these plays in the future.

Back on point.

The town of Langharne was interesting. They were having their summer carnaval today. Bizarre. People painted themselves in different colors and wore weird stuff. It was like Halloween - only up a couple notches. It was a small place - again like Bloomsdale. Neat to see.

I came back to Cardiff via train. It was just taking too long to continue further west. I need to be in London on Monday. I got some great news - my Russian Visa is back and ready for pickup. Brilliant! I'll pick this up on Monday and make my train on Tuesday morning headed for Denmark. I got lucky with my departure date guess -- I love it when a plan comes together. I have some serious travel decisions to make in the next couple days. I'm just about ready to pull the string on doing the Reychevik, Icleand Marathon on August 21st. My plans are to do a marathon on every continent. I know that I have the Athens Marathon upcoming on Halloween, but, if for some reason this doesn't happen, I'd like a backup. How could I spend 9 months in Europe and not do a marathon here. Also, I heard from one of the great ladies I worked with in Minnesota (Jan) the other day. She has some good friends in Sweden and has connected me with them. I hope to visit their family in the next couple weeks. I just need to get my Russia travel plans set, my flight to Iceland set, and the rest will fall into place. I was thinking this today - I know I'm on a holiday trip - but I still have alot of irons in the fire. That's all good though - I need to keep sharp.

In Cardiff now, an awesome party city believe it or not. If you're ever in the area, belly up to the Marriott by the Train Station, and partake in the many bars and restaurants in the area. I walked around earlier. I saw more bachelor and bachelorette parties than I've ever seen before.

Tomorrow I spend more time in Wales and head back to England later in the day.

Day #138 - Grasmere & Manchester, England

Grasmere, England

A little stream in Grasmere

The streets of Manchester, England

Manchester, England

Friday, July 30th

This morning I took a 30 minute bus ride over to another small town in the Lake District - the town of Grasmere. I was told great things about this place - and it did not disappoint. This was the home of poet William Wordsworth and he is buried in the graveyard of the village church. I walked around for a couple hours - but since I had my big bag with me - I decided to cut it short. The town was great. Very small. A little stream cut through the center of it. The lake was just a short walk away. A really good day trip from Windermere.

I took the bus back and then got a train to Manchester. I decided I was going to spend the weekend in Wales so I needed to continue south. Once arriving in Manchester, I only had 1 hour before my connecting train to Cardiff (capital of Wales). In that time, I made a quick loop around the city. A really big place. It appeared to have alot of diversity. Above ground trains similar to Geneva, Switzerland. Tall buildings everywhere and a huge central train station. Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool are 3 big cities very near each other in central England. The couple I met on my Peru trip live in Manchester (the doctor and nurse). Unfortunately, they were both out of town for the weekend - maybe I'll catch up with them on a return trip.

I then took a 3-1/2 hour train down to Cardiff. Wales is the last area in the UK for me to visit. Wales is located north of London and south of Manchester - on the western coast. It's a small area as compared to England and Scotland. There's not as many 'drawing cards' here. I was told that the southern coast of Wales is worth the visit. Because I arrived around 7pm - I decided to call it an early night and see what happens tomorrow. I had about 5 hours of train travel and a couple hours of buses today. I need a little shuteye.

Day #137 - Glascow & The Lake District

Great running trail

Awesome lake views

More running trails

The ferry boat approaching the bank

Sailboats all over the lakes

Thursday, July 29th

This morning I got an early start and walked around the city of Glascow. Along with Edinburgh, it's the biggest city in Scotland. Interesting place. Alot of activity on the streets. I got the feel that Glascow is to Cambridge as Edinburgh is to Oxford. It just had that same feel. Newer, art museums, the swanky place to be. I might be off on this -- just what I took from my walk about. I like Edinburgh better.

One of the interesting things about Glascow - it's the home of the Macintosh Trail. The city's greatest architect-designer, Charles Rennie MacIntosh (1868-1928), earned Glascow its reputation as a hub of creativity. One of his creations - The Glascow School of Art. When completed in 1899, it was heralded as Europe's finest example of Moderism. Along with the school, there are also restaurants and teerooms spread around town with his design and archtecture.

After spending a few hours in Glascow, I decided to take a train south out of Scotland and back into northern England. I'll remember my time in Scotland fondly. I'm a little disappointed to be leaving. Even though I did alot of stuff here (golfing at 2 big time courses, British Open at St. Andrews, Loch Ness, Edinburgh & Glascow, the Hebrides, the Highland Games, whiskey trail, castle trail, and the Isle of Skye), I still feel like I'd like to come back sometime. It's a neat place to visit.

I took a 2 hour train to the city of Windermere. Many of my buddies who have spent time in the central UK with Caterpillar told me about this area called 'The Lake District' - a must see. This is an 880 square mile section of northern England (north of Manchester) known for its amazing lakes and natural beauty. It's renowned for the incredible hiking trails scattered throughout the endless lakes. It's said to have more than 1,800 miles of footpaths and trails. Because I'm a big fan of hiking - this was an area I couldn't miss.

There are a number of different small towns in the Lake District, but I chose Windermere because it was easily accessible by train for me. I got to the town about 3:30pm. I really wanted to go for a long run/walk today. I went directly to the tourist center. This was one of the best I've been to. They called and got me a hotel, and pointed me in the direction of a great 4-1/2 mile long path along the lakefront.

I dumped my bags off at the hotel and headed out. I had to run/walk about 2-3 miles to get down to the lake. I then took a ferry boat across to the trailhead. I ran the 4-1/2 miles to the end of the trail. It was spectacular. Boats, blue skies, clouds, wooded forests - perfect. At the end of the trail was a castle -- they're everywhere. I turned around and did a walk/run back to the start. I really felt good today. I haven't been running much - as I'm giving my body a rest. I needed to make sure I still had it in me today. All good. A good half marathon+ after counting the miles to/from the ferry boat. On the way out, I caught up with this biker, he was going really slow and had his radio playing loudly. The song being played was by the Boss (Bruce Springstein) - "I'm on Fire" --- 'Woo -o-o-I'm on fire'. It got me gong a little bit and brought me through a couple miles.

I got back, cleaned up and went out to a nice dinner. I really never do this. I went to a sit down place and had an awesome baked lasagna, a nice big caesar salad, and an ice-cold corona. I still will never get used to eating alone in a place like this. It's a bit ackward. I'd rather just grab something and bring it back to my room. It was all good though. A very good day in the land of lakes.

Day #136 - Highland Games

The Opening Ceremony - bagpipes galore

The Heavies in the middle of the field

The scenery on the other side of the street from the Highland Games

The 100yd dash - the guy in the shorts (white) wins

Traditional dancing

Wednesday, July 28th

I made it through the night unscaved. I didn't sleep soundly however - too many weird scenarios going through my mind. I was up at 6:30am - I had a bus to catch at 7:30am. No shower - hat on - I'm ready to go. I could hear this earth-shattering snore coming from the obese gentlemen's room. We came back late last night and I have not paid for the room - what do I do? I took 40 pounds out of my pocket - purposefully walked out of my room holding the money in front of me (for all the cameras in the world to visualize) and then went back into my room and placed the $40 on the bed where I slept. I had told the Canadian couple last night that this was the strangest place I've stayed in 135 days. Their response: "Great, we've nailed it after just 3 days". I will never, ever forget the small cottage in the woods in Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland.

I took a 1 hour bus ride to a boat ferry off the southern coast of Skye. Then, I took a 30 minute ferry ride to the city of Mallaig. I waited here for 45 minutes, then took a 15 minute train to my destination today - the town of Aisaig, Scotland. I came here today to watch the Highland Games.

The Highland Games, rooted in the Middle Ages, are unique summer sporting events that are held all over the Scottish Highlands (40+ such destinations). They were begun as county fairs for the exchange of goods and news, they provided clan chiefs the chance to witness the physical prowess of the area's most promising young lads.

Events include: dancing, piping (bagpipe competitions), heavy events (shot put, hammer throw, log throwing), track events (100 yd , 200 yd, 400 yd, mile), and field events (long jump, high jump, triple jump). Other Highland Games offer more variety (tug of war, etc), but this was one of the smallest games. Great for me however - I got to see the event at its core - how it originated.

This was outstanding. What an unbelievably cool thing to see. Very traditional. Nearly everyone had on a Scottish kilt. Bagpipes were playing continuously throughout the day. I bet the whole town was in attendance. This place was about the size of my hometown of Bloomsdale, MO (450 people).

It was all held in this big field. The competition sites were roped off. There was endless food and beverage stands. It was kind of like our county fairs, but strictly dedicated to unique sporting events. I spent the afternoon watching in amazement. I thoroughly enjoyed it. From the 100 yard dash where people ran in jeans to the hammer throw - where contestants competed right by the dance stage with no net or anything. If these "monster dudes" would have let go of the hammer on the wrong turn - somebody could have got killed. (The hammer throw requires a person to spin a couple times and then let loose of the block attached to a chain). It was totally old school.

One of the neatest things was seeing these girls in the dance. They did several traditional Scottish dances. You would see some of the girls run over to the start of the 100 yd dash in their dance costumes, do the run, and then be back on stage for the next song. You would see these huge dudes throw the shotput, run over for the 100yd dash, and be back for their second throw. They had open competitions for the runs as well. I almost jumped out there and ran the 100yd. I couldn't do it. Mainly because at the end of the run, 15 yards from the finish line, they had the roped off exterior border about chest high. I saw the first heat. Only 1 guy had any speed at all. This guy was so athletic that he hurdled the rope at the end. The other guys were so slow that they were able to slow down before hitting the rope. I did not think I could hurdle that thing and didn't want to kill myself in the process. I'm wondering if anyone ever thought about taking the rope down at the finish line. It's all good though - traditional - deal with the elements.

I stayed for most of the events and walked the 3 miles back to the trian station. I took a long train to Glascow - arriving at 9pm. I met a really cool couple from London on this trip. We talked for hours. I mentioned how I was so impressed with Europeans and their patriotism. The guy had lived in the states for some time. He said that he felt the US had patriotism as well (National Anthem before all sporitng events, pledge of allegiance at schools, etc) but just that the patriotism in Europe is more rooted in their cultural past. It's not that people aren't patriotic in the US - there's just more history in Europe, and more events celebrated because of it. Interesting way he put it.

The countryside we came through on the return train was spectacular. As far as pure outdoor scenery, the Scottish Highlands are my 2nd favorite location in Europe to date (second to the Alps). Here's to a very unique day and learning about new cultures.

Day #135 - Loch Ness & Isle of Skye

Loch Ness - no monsters shown

Inside the lock in the Canal leading to Loch Ness

Scottish flag represented - nearing our departure point

Urquhart Castle - overlooking Loch Ness

Isle of Skye

Tuesday, July 27th

Today was an odd and mysterious day. I awoke early in Inverness and walked down to the busstop for a 9:15am tour departure to Loch Ness. I decided I wanted to actually be on the water, so I chose a 3-hr boat ride/castle tour.

We loaded a bus that took us further up the River Ness where we boarded the boat. I met a really nice couple from South Africa on the ride over. They're from an area near Kruger National Park in Johannesburg. They gave me some tips on cage diving with great white sharks - something I want to do in the future.

Our boat was nice. About 50 people aboard. I took a seat on the upper deck - exposed to the weather, but also witness to the best views. We first cruised down the Caledonian Canal and passed through a lock and dam on our way to Loch Ness. I've studied all about lock and dams - and even did a display of one for the Engineers Club in St. Louis - but I don't ever recall passing through one personally. Very cool. The entrance gates open. The boat enters the lock. The sluice gates are opened from the departure gate. You can't see these because they are underwater. Opening the sluice gates brings water into the lock to achieve the same water depth as the departure water source. Once the levels are equalized, the exit gate opens and the boat moves forward. This was only a 3-4 foot change - but really interesting. There are 29 such locks on the Caledonian Canal. About 15 minutes later, we entered Loch Ness.

Loch Ness stretches 22.6 miles in length from Fort Augustus in the south to Bona Lighthouse at its most northernly point. Here its waters narrow as it enters into Loch Dochfour and joins the Caledonian Canal allowing shipping a passage to Inverness and the North Sea beyond. The Loch covers 21.8 square miles and it's Britain's second largest expanse of freshwater by surface area (Loch Lemond - largest) and it's biggest by volume. With depths of up to 754 feet, the volume of water contained in the loch is estimated at 263 billion cubic foot. The waters are extremely dark due to high peat content. (Exact opposite of Crater Lake in Oregon). The temperatures below the thermocline remain at a constant 6 deg C (40 F) while even in the hottest summers the water nearest the surface will only reach 15 deg C (60 F).

The drawing card to Loch Ness and what most people associate with this water source - the Loch Ness Monster (or Nessie). There are records of monster sightings dating back to St. Columba's visit in the 6th century. In 1933, Hugh Grey took the 'first monster photograph'. The picture was published in the Daily Mail and the story gripped the public imagination; hence, the beginning of the legend. There have been alot of hoaxes over the years, but many 'honest sightings' as well. Even with today's technology - nothing conclusive has been found. But, there have been mysterious movements recorded in the murky waters.

I guess I think of the Loch Ness Monster like bigfoot - if they were real - they would have been exposed by now. Although, I do believe there are things deep in the ocean (and perhaps deep lakes) that have never been recorded simply because access is not available at such depths.

We took an awesome 2 hr cruise of the lake - great scenery. No monster sightings to report however. We departed the boat at Urquhart Castle - very near the town of Drumnadrachit (Loch Ness Museum). We had a chance to walk around the remains of the castle and learned about it's history. Dating back to the 13th century, occupiers of Urquhart Castle traditionally controlled the Great Glen (60 mile glacial fissure that divides the Highland from northeast to southwest).

We jumped back on our bus for a return to Inverness. On my arrival, I walked to my hotel, grabbed my luggage, and then made my way to the train station. I decided to head west - the Hebrides. I took a 3 hr train to Kyle of Lochalsh. (I saw my first lady get escorted off the train by the police for trespassing) From there, I took a bus to the city of Portree on the Island of Skye. I again met some interesting people on this leg of the journey. A German couple from Munich. They have done over 30 holidays where they house-swap with another couple. They just find an area they want to visit, get on the internet, and find someone there who wants to come to Munich - seems to be working out nicely for them.

Now starts the odd part of the day. I was going to Portree on a whim (not planned). I had heard the town was neat and the Isle of Skye had unbelievable scenery (these were confirmed). My bus arrived in Portree around 7:30pm. I had not previously booked a place to stay. I kind of had a feeling that was a bad idea heading into such a small town. After going to about 6 places with no vacancies (and people telling me I have no chance to find a spot) I was beginning to worry. It was 55 deg F, rainy, windy - not ideal conditions. I was far from any major city or town for that matter. I found a bar/restaurant and used their Wi-Fi. A saviour lady told me about an area of town with some bed & breakfast. She said: "That's going to be your only true shot". I began walking, bag in tow.

It was miserable conditions. I needed to find a place - and pronto. I came upon this sign pointing back a small, wooded road. OK - let's give it a shot. I rounded the corner and could see this little cottage. I went to the side of the place and knocked. A guy yells: "Come in through the No Entry door". I'm thinking: "What - I don't see a No Entry door". I walk around the place - still nothing. I go back and knock again saying: "I don't see this door you're referring to". The guy tells me it's just around the corner. I'm positive it's not just around the corner - because I just looked everywhere. I'm thinking: "Why doesn't this guy just come out here and show me the way". Just then, a Canadian couple (found out later) came out the very door I was knocking on. I asked them: "What's the deal, are you staying here, is this place OK, where is this guy?" The couple acted a bit strange but said: "We think it's OK, he's down the hall and through the door on the right". I could tell by their looks that there was something they were not telling me. I had about 5 seconds to prepare myself for what I was about to see. Yep - this would be classified as different. I rounded the corner and looked into this room ----- there was a 500+ pound guy, morbidly obese, bedridden, laying with the covers down to his stomach, no shirt on, with the air conditioning blasting out. Wooo! This was the largest human being I've ever seen in my entire life (and I've been in hundreds of bariatric surgeries). This is the guy you see on TV - the only way he's leaving this room is if somebody cuts down the walls. Ackward. This guy and I begin a conversation about my staying in a room. He told me that there are 2 rooms in his place - 1 had just been taken by the Canadian couple. This guy seemed very legitimate and very friendly - I agreed to take the other room for 40 pounds ($60). I gave him no money or credit card information at first - just a verbal. He said that this was fine. I headed out in search of more information.

I left the house and the Canadian couple was waiting for me outside. We walked back into town and had dinner and drinks together. We had more fun than most people should after just meeting minutes earlier. The morbidly obese situation was only a small part of the house we had just visited. There were signs posted all around the place - high voltage (danger), chemicals (danger), and signs stating he has closed circuit TV throughout the place. We went on and on about the possibilities. We couldn't stop laughing about some of the theories that were tossed out. We had the Canadian girl so paranoid, she was planning to sleep in full clothing.

In all seriousness, we felt very sad for this gentlemen. He was a nice person. We all agreed on this fact right away. This is the reason we felt comfortable with accepting the rooms. Supposedly, he has been bed-ridden for 2 years and has an assistant that helps him. We're assuming the signs posted were to ward off intruders. The high voltage sign was probably for the fuse cabinet. The chemical danger signs were likely for some pesticides or something in the garage. The closed circuit TV - just a way he can have eyes to see the place because he can't leave his room. Anyway, we felt OK with the situation. (At least we had successfully created a picture in our minds of a good situation). We had numbers and could help each other. It's a sad thing for this guy and good for him that he's doing this bed & breakfast business.

After a great traditional dinner (sausage, pork n' beans, chips) with my 2 new Canadian friends, we headed back to the cottage in the woods.

Until tomorrow, here's to limited chemical/electrical exposure and not being the star on some YouTube video in the near future.

Day #134 - Aberdeen and Inverness, Scotland

Streets of Aberdeen

Inverness

Inverness Castle

Inverness - overlooking river

Town of Inverness

Monday, July 26th

I took a 2-1/2 hour train from Edinburgh this morning north to Aberdeen - my first visit into the Scottish Highlands. The name 'Highlands' is given primarily because it's a mountainous region. The 10 largest mountains (hills) in the UK are all located in Scotland - with the largest being 4,409ft near the town of Fort William. Scotland is also home to thousands of lochs. A loch is a Scottish Gaelic word for a lake. There are said to be over 30,000 freshwater lochs in Scotland. On the western side of Scotland, there are many islands referred to as Hebrides ("islands at the edge of the sea"). What a unique place to visit.

Aberdeen is located on the eastern coast of Scotland. The train ride was great. The tracks ran parallel to the ocean and I got to look out over the cliffs as we headed north. A tremendous view. Aberdeen is often used as the starting point for touring the many castles found in Scotland. There is actually a route called the "Castle Trail' that brings you by some of the more famous ones. This is something that would require a vehicle - as most or not along the train route. That's OK - I've seen my share of castles.

I took a few hours to walk around the city of Aberdeen. A neat place - but I didn't get the feel it was much of a tourist location. The people on the streets were business related. There weren't any 'take away' spots necessarily - just a place to stroll around and take it all in. I spent some time in the tourist center. I was able to gain some valuable information for the next few days. I can already see that I won't have enough time in Scotland. There are so many hiking areas and great places to see. The area is filled with unpredictable weather, untamed and rugged terrain, and unbelievable sites -- formulas that add up to --- "a place I need to be".

After spending some time in Aberdeen, I took another 2+ hour train ride over to Inverness - referred to as the capital of the Highland region. Inverness is located in the central part of the Highlands - easy access to Loch Ness -- the area I'll be touring tomorrow. I spent some time walking the streets toward early evening. Spectacular views. A little river flows through the middle of town. The Inverness Castle sits up on the hill overlooking the river. Several really cool bridges span over the water.

I'm staying at a place right in town. I'm down in the lobby using my computer right now. There is this older lady using a computer as well. She is continually asking me questions. She is asking the hotel guy as well. She's driving us crazy. It's clear that whatever she is doing - she wants us to sit and walk her through it. I listened to her and was attentive at first. Then, she started going into these stories about her work and medical stuff - I just had this distant stare going on. Now, she keeps talking to me. I am not even looking up anymore. Is this rude - or should I just straight-up say: "Please don't talk to me anymore tonight". I'm going to stick with the "completely ignoring her" approach and see how this works out for me. I'm in business mode right now -- even if I wasn't however, this lady would not be the #1 person on the most interesting list. You would understand if you were here.

Tomorrow I try to spot the Loch Ness Monster - wish me luck.

Day #133 - London to Edinburgh

City view of Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle high on the hill

Scott's Monument in the foreground and the Balmoral Hotel in the background

Scott Monument

Edinburgh Castle

Sunday, July 25th

Today I took a long train ride out of London back to Edinburgh, Scotland. Although my buddy Randy and I spent 4 nights in Edinburgh during our golfing experience, we didn't really get to see the town. We used it as a place to sleep - arriving after 11pm most evenings.

I'm really glad I came back today to spend some time before going further north. Edinburgh is great. It's arguably one of my favorite cities in Europe (strong statement - but true). It has a great atmosphere and a ton of history. Bagpipes are being played on the streets, small cafes and bars selling Scottish whiskey, the Edinburgh Castle sitting up on the hillside, the Scott Monument right off Princes Street, and the prestigious Balmoral Hotel at the very east end of Princes Street. I'm a big fan of how a city feels - this place has it.

I spent a few hours in late afternoon until early evening just walking around. The Edinburgh Castle is the showcase landmark in the city. It sits atop a collapsed crater of an extinct volcano. It's earliest traces date to the 12th century Chapel of St. Margaret - the oldest structure in Edinburgh. The castle has played many roles: fortress, military garrison, state prison, and royal palace. The royal chambers were used until the king permanently moved to England in 1603.

The Scott Monument sits off Princes Street honoring the Scottish author - Sir Walter Scott. The Tower is 200ft tall and has a series of viewing decks reached by winding narrow staircases. Just walking the 1 mile length of Princes Street is something all by itself. There is a new and old part of Edinburgh - it helps give the city a unique flavor.

The city is home to a couple of big festivals each year. During mid-August to early September, the Edinburgh International Festival is celebrated. An extravaganza of music, drama, and dance. Also, Hogmany is celebrated at the very end of the year. The goal is to bring in the new year on a high note. It's celebrated throughout Scotland, but with special fervor in Edinburgh.

I've heard alot of good things about this city and I was not disappointed. A must-see place on your trip to Scotland. Actually, it's a great place to use as your 'home base' for day trip excursions.

Tomorrow I'll go further north.

Day #132 - Southhampton, Salisbury, Winchester

Salisbury Cathedral

Cruise Liner leaving Southampton (not Queen Mary 2)

Southampton harbor

Winchester Cathedral

Saturday, July 24th

Today was a relaxing, peaceful day.

I continued on my tour of southern England - heading to the western side of the country. I started in Salisbury. A town located very near Stonehenge. The drawing card - the Salisbury Cathedral. Construction began in 1220 and was completed in a record 38 years. The spire, the tallest structure then known in the world - and still the highest in England - was added toward the end of the 13th century.

The cathedral felt very similar to Canterbury Cathedral that I visited yesterday. They both have a courtyard inside the building structure. They also have a very picturesque walkway around the courtyard. I'll remember this site for the 404-foot spire - easily visible from most anywhere in town. Salisbury itself was a neat place. Very busy streets. A fun place to spend some time.

I next headed to Southamption. I wanted to see the harbor. I learned that Dover is the biggest industrial port in England; whereas, Southampton is the largest passenger port. Southampton has become the cruise liner capital of northern Europe. On my arrival, I walked down to the oceanfront and could see a huge ship. All the people were up on the deck. It was just setting sail. A ton of people were around in the car parking area as folks waved to the ship. I've included a picture - this is not the Queen Mary 2 (described shortly)

Southampton has a place in history. The Titanic set sail from this port back in April 1912 on her ill-fated maiden voyage. Southampton was also the port of departure for many of the Allied troops on D-Day. There is a plaque in the harbor honoring those people who lost their lives in the battle.

Today, many of the world's largest cruise ships depart here. For years, a cruise liner named Queen Elizabeth 2 (1,791 passenger ship) was the only regular ship crusing the north Atlantic. In 1993, this ship was replaced by Queen Mary 2. This ship is billed as the largest, longest, widest, and tallest passenger ship ever. It is more than twice the size of Queen Elizabeth 2 and three times the size of Titanic. It carries 3,000 passengers and stands taller than the Eiffel Tower and longer than 41 double decker buses. Think about that. I can't even believe it. Taller than the Eiffel Tower? And 1/4 mile long? I've only been on 1 cruise liner to the Bahamas -- maybe many of you have seen or been on these kind of cruise ships. It's hard for me to get a grasp on this.

Leaving Southampton, I headed to the city of Winchester. I visited the Winchester Cathedral. Construction of the cathedral began in 1089. It is the longest medieval cathedral in existence (526 ft). The cathedral was built of Quarr stone from the nearby Isle of Wight. Famous writier Jane Austen (1775-1817) is buried here. Impressive. A very neat town as well. Both Salisbury and Winchester are towns where you could just walk around and spend the day.

Tomorrow I head due north. Waiting for me on my arrival --- bagpipes, Scottish Whiskey, hiking in the Hebrides, the Edinburgh Castle, and a monster named 'Nessie'.

Day #131 - Canterbury Cathedral and Leeds Castle

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral

Famous stain-glass windows

Leeds Castle - from a distance

Leeds Castle - and the sheep field I walked through

Friday, July 23rd

Today was interesting. I took a late morning train to Canterbury, England. I actually had to take 4 different trains to get to my destination. I would find out more about trains later on in the day.

A couple hours, I was in the city of Canterbury. I wanted to see the Canterbury Cathedral. Referencing my 1000 Things Book - The Cathedral was built back in 1174 - this structure has gone through some changes. It was once England's - and northern Europe's - most sacred pilgrimage site. In 1170, one of the most important incidents in British history took place here -- Archbishop Thomas Becket was cruelly murdered in the northwest transept of the cathedral by four knights of Henry II. He would be canonized three years later, encouraging a repentant Henry II to establish the cathedral as the center of English Christianity.

The cathedral is famous for it stained-glass windows. Although much of Canterbury was destroyed in air raids during World War II, the windows were preserved as they were taken down for replacements.

You can see the pictures I've attached, a visually impressive place. It's hard for me right now to distinguish between churches - I've seen many. It's not Notre Dame in Paris or St. Mark's in Venice - but it was neat to see. The town of Canterbury was active, I'm assuming a highlight on many tours. I saw a number of tourist groups walking the streets. The town is also famous for Canterbury Tales - written by Geoffrey Chaucer about a group of pilgrims who traveled from London to St. Thomas Becket's shrine in 1387. I haven't read the book - purely referencing a note I read.

After Canterbury, I headed in the direction of Leeds Castle. This castle is located just outside of a very small town - Hollingbourne. I took the train to the stop and then started walking. It was now around 4:00pm. (With all my transfers and wait times - I was not very efficient today). I wasn't sure where I was going in Hollingbourne - just walking. Small town, everything locked up - not sure why. I finally found this little pub and asked where Leeds Castle was located. They pointed me in a general direction and I continued my journey.

I soon saw some signs. I made it to the entrance and it was after 5pm now. Sign says: "No more vehicles allowed after 4:30pm". I walked in and talked with a guy at the booth collecting money. It costs $17 for entrance fees. This guy was really cool. He said: "I shouldn't tell you this, but there is a walking trail that parallels the fenceline of the property, you can walk this and get some pictures." He gave me a lengthy list of verbal directions. I lost him after about the fifth left turn. He told me that I could not come back this way - I had to go out a gate 'a ways up'. I headed out - no entrance fee, but very little direction.

About 15 minutes later, I was walking in the middle of a sheep field. The guy told me it was OK. I even saw signs saying it was a public walkway. Strange. I'm walking, all alone, in the middle of this huge field. Sheep are running out of the way. I felt comfortable on my buddies farm in Ballycroy - but I don't know anything about sheep. Hopefully I'm good here. I continued on and then to my left, I could see the Leeds Castle. I'm very bummed that I couldn't get inside the gates, from pictures and even at this distance, it looked awesome. It's surrounded by water. Very unique. This is what I'll remember most about this castle. My book states the lake-like moat is unlike any other water defense setting in Britain.

It was constructed in the 12th century. It gained much favor as a royal residence. Henry VIII spent alot of time here. 6 different queens called it their favorite residence. The castle itself is located within a huge park. People were walking around the lake and the grounds. There is a Dog Collar Museum on the grounds. Dogs once played an important role in guarding the grounds.

I continued walking as the man had instructed until I came to a road that led me out to the highway I needed to follow to the train station. This place was really neat - I wish that I would have made this my first stop of the day. It trumped the Canterbury Cathedral. I could have walked around the park grounds for a long while.

I get back to the train station and start my journey of 4 trains back to Gatwick. After departing train #2 - I met this older gentlemen. He was waiting for the same train as me. We had just missed the previous one - and had to wait an hour. This guy was a former train worker. He proceeded to tell me all kinds of stuff about the UK train system. He said that it is notoriously poor. Up until 10 years ago, all the trains were run by the British Railway. Things went fairly smoothly. Then, the system decided to go with private companies. Now there are 25-30 different companies that run the trains in the UK. There is no consistency on who handles what. He said that this continually leads to problems. Nobody really cares about the other companies - just themselves. It doesn't make for an efficient transportation system. I basically just listened to this guy talk for about an hour - interesting perspective.

I made it back to my hotel about 11pm. I just did all my laundry in the bathtub. Another small thing to be thankful for -- washing machines and dryers. It's 1am and I'm about shot. Until tomorrow - good night.

Day #130 - White Cliffs of Dover

Layout of the White Cliffs in the past

Huge shipping harbor

The White Cliffs of Dover

History of the White Cliffs

Look at the white cliffs and the white hotel

Large shipping harbor

Thursday, July 22nd

Thanks guys for the great comments - I really appreciate it. Heather - I felt like I was back in Bloomsdale. Julie - thanks for keeping me fired up.

Today I had some struggles - but I'll be better for it. I headed into London to get a Britrail pass for unlimited train travel throughout the UK. My last trip to the UK was spent primarily in London and surrounding areas; therefore, I didn't see the prices of the individual train tickets to outside areas. I've been getting quotes the past couple days - and it's crazy expensive. Example: London to Edinburgh - $180 one way. London to Dover - $54 one way. In comparison, I recently purchased a train ticket for my buddy Randy from Geneva to Paris for around $90 (this is probably farther than London-Edinburgh). In general, I'd say individual train costs are as much as 4 times more than in mainland Europe. If I bought individual tickets to all the areas I want to go in the UK in the next several days - I'd be looking at $3,000-4,000. That's more than double my 3-month Eurail pass to 21 different countries in western Europe.

I saw on TV last night that London is voted as the most expensive city in the world to go out for dinner - they might want to add train travel as well.

I found out that they sell a Britrail pass to non-UK citizens. However, people are very hush about it. It's weird. I ask and they give me this bland response: "We do not sell the Britrail - I can not help you here" If I push them on it - they repeat this response. It's like all the train employees had a meeting and were told how to answer this question. I finally found out that there have been problems with UK citizens buying these passes from non-UK citizens. It would save them tons of money - so I can see why. I then found out there was only 1 location in all of London that would sell me this pass - a place at Picadilly Circus (the Times Square of London). The other locations had all closed. Maybe the Britrail is competition to the main trains. Therefore, the locations within the train terminals may have dissolved. Still - this all seemed pretty strange to me.

I got the address from an information booth and took the metro to the location. I walked up to the desk and was met by an older women. She was very unpleasant from the get-go. I'm often amazed that people whose position is customer service can be this way. How many times have you walked in any office and the receptionist was nasty right away (not often - or they would be fired). I was told that I must present proof of my travels within the UK to get a pass. Specifically, I needed a plane ticket or rail ticket out of the UK or they would not sell me the pass. I explained my situation and how I'm waiting on my passport to be returned from the Russian embassy - my exit date was not confirmed. Her response: "Sorry, I can't help you". I asked if I purchased an exit ticket, would they sell it to me. Her response: "If you have documentation, we'll sell it".

I went to another location and waited 45 minutes to buy a rail ticket from London to Brussels. I took a guess on my exit dae of Auguest 3rd. I needed to get to Brussels first and could then transfer to Copenhagen, Denmark from there. My ticket cost was $54. This is a different train system then in the UK. I was quoted this amount just to Dover earlier today.

I bought the ticket and went back to buy the Britrail. She asked me for my passport. I presented a copy. She said: "No, we must have your actual passport" I already had told her that I did not have it. This lady was really ornery. She just said: "Sorry - too bad"

Have you heard the song from Aaron Tippin ("You got to stand for something"). --- You got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything, you got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string, never compromise what's right, and uphold your family name, you got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything. ----

Well, some things are worth fighting for. I've learned in my years in sales, you must pick your battles wisely. Fighting for everything will ultimately yield less results than choosing the right situation. Today - this was the correct situation. All stars were aligned for me. I was either going to walk out of this office and pay $3,000-4,000 to travel in the UK for the next several days or not travel at all and vegitate OR I was going to get this Britrail pass for $400 that I fully met the qulaifications for.

I went all-out aggressive on this lady. I verbally hit her with everything I could possibly think of at the time: "Can I get the travel company handling my Visa to call you or write a note", "Can I present documantation from my emails proving my travel patterns for the last 4 months", "Here's my Eurail pass for 3 months - why would I have temporary residence in the UK and have this pass". "May I speak with your manager", "Where is the US Embassy - I'm sure they can provide documentation of my status as a US citizen". Finally - I was on to something. She responded: "I guess I will sell it to you - but I don't like it" She again said: "I don't like it". I had to bite my tongue not to respond to this. Bottom line - I got the Britrail pass - but it was ugly.

The reason I went so hard is because I was 100% legitimate, I've followed every travel rule, and met the requirements of buying the pass. If there wasn't a way around having your actual passport - then travelling wouldn't be worth it. You lose this - you're done. It wouldn't be worth the risk.

Sorry for the detour - but this interaction today is an example of what I continue to learn -- If you just keep persisting - things can turn in your favor. This is a pretty good thought to bring into all your daily activities.

After my battle, I took a 2 hour train to Dover, England. I wanted to see the 'White Cliffs of Dover'. My knowledge of this location was zero coming into today. I assumed there were some bluffs that had a white tint and probably some kind of harbor because of the location.

Wow - this place turned out to be awesome. I walked for about 1 mile from the train station to the oceanfront. On arrival, I could see a huge shipping harbor to my left. I could also see some of these large white bluffs in the background. I headed in that direction. The weather this afternoon was amazing. You could see forever out across the water - the English Channel. As I neared the harbor, I noticed some signs showing the direction to the White Cliffs. The trail went uphill to the top of the bluffs. OK - let's do it. I climbed to the top of this cliff. Once at the top, I looked out and the scenery was amazing. You could see the full shipping harbor. It was immense. You could look out over the ocean - there was some land over to my left. It had to be France. I kept walking. I came upon some signs and informational boards. I found out that the White Cliffs of Dover were much more than just cliffs in the past. Where I was located, there used to be prisons, both convict and military. There was a bulletin board that described how the cliffs were used in the actual construction of the harbor itself. I kept walking. I found myself on a trail that was literally at the edge of the bluffs. It was a trail (no worries). I could now look in front of me and see the white cliffs. The land turned a corner and gave a perfect view of the cliffs above the ocean -- Another "Cliffs of Moher" moment for me on the journey.

This place was really interesting. I've included some of the bulletin board information for you. I'm really glad I made this trip. Dover is only 22 miles from Calais, France. This is the area the Germans expected an attack on D-Day. They were surprised when the forces took a more southern route across the English Channel. According to the boards, there are millions of travelers that come through this port yearly.

I took a long slow walk back to the train station. I was probably 3-4 miles out when I turned around. I took the 2 hour train back to Gatwick Airport. Just today - I saved $108 to Dover and $15 from London Victoria to Gatwick. I expect that my Britrail pass will pay for itself in the next 2 days.

Day #129 - Brighton, England

Brighton, England

Long beachfront

Rocky beaches in Brighton

Royal Pavilion

Beaches of Brighton

Wednesday, July 21st

Today I took a train due south from my current location for about 30 minutes to the seaside town of Brighton, England. Often called "London-by-the-Sea" - this place was referenced in my 1000 Things book.

Very cool place. After getting out of the train station, I walked down to the ocean. There was a long stretch of beachfront that went on forever. I walked the whole length of it. People where on the beaches and filled the streets. Not as crazy as the French Riveria, but a bustling city nonetheless.

I then walked up into the city to a place called the Royal Pavilion. This is a palace that was built in the late 1700s by King George IV. This place supposedly demonstrates the excesses and extravagances of that period when Brighton became England's most fashionable seaside resort. There were tons of people walking the interior streets. This must be a pretty popular place for tourists - as these folks were not in business mode.

A relaxing day. I actually wore my Ipod all day as I walked around. I never do this. I'm shaking it up a little. My songs consists of about 70% old country. This town is known to be trendy and hip. It was an odd mix I had going on.

One thing I need to change for tomorrow is reducing the amount of money I spend on trainfare. My eurail pass does not work in the UK. Individual tickets are outrageously high. I've done some research on a Britrail pass. Tomorrow I'm going into London early am to get this pass so the next 10 days will be more reasonable.

Here's to the Cardinals making it 8 in a row tonight.